Raving Toy Maniac

WIZKIDS/NECA, MFV LAUNCH DC COMICS' MAN OF STEEL™ FIGURES, GAMEPLAY FOR TABAPP™ ELITE

New Booster Pack and Content Update Available Now

Hillside, NJ & Cary, NC – July 15, 2013 – The recently launched TabApp™ Elite today received a new update adding new content and physical figures based on Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' blockbuster title, Man of Steel, featuring the legendary DC Comics Super Hero Superman. The free update is available now, and a new Booster Pack containing two new figures, Superman and General Zod, have hit store shelves.

Developers WizKids Games and MFV also noted the new update incorporates new DC Comics characters, including Faora, Jor-El, Namek, Dr. Jax-Ur, and more.

All figures are 100% compatible with the HeroClix tabletop game and come with a free code to unlock their HeroClix Online counterpart.

NECA and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products Reveal Product Categories and Artwork Featuring First Five Celebrities of The Simpsons 25 Greatest Guest Stars Merchandise Program

Fans Invited To Share Their Favorite Guest Stars This Week on THE SIMPSONS Facebook Page

WHO: Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) today revealed artwork showcasing the first five celebrities included in the limited edition guest star merchandise program celebrating 25 seasons of THE SIMPSONS. Announced at Licensing Expo 2013, the first five guest stars include, Hugh Hefner, James Brown, Yao Ming, Tom Hanks, and Kid Rock.

WHAT: The limited-edition boutique collection includes more than one dozen assorted product categories, which feature each star's animated likeness as depicted in THE SIMPSONS and THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. Products include collectible miniatures and figures, apparel, games and puzzles, and more, and will begin rolling out globally in early 2014.

LEGO Group Builds Creative Merchandising Program for "THE LEGO MOVIE"

SAN DIEGO, July 16, 2013 -- COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL -- The LEGO Group today announced that it will produce a collection of movie-inspired building sets celebrating the brand's premiere as a theatrical film. The company has recruited an impressive roster of global partners to a broad, multi-category licensing program to support the much anticipated animated adventure film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee, "THE LEGO® MOVIE" is rapidly building buzz following its first released trailer and assembles on the big screen starting in February 2014.

Nickelodeon Signs Multi-Year Licensing Deal With Rubie's Costume Company To Produce Line Of Halloween Costumes And Accessories, And Dress Up Products Inspired By The Hit Action-Adventure Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series

NEW YORK, July 16, 2013 -- Nickelodeon announced today its licensing deal with Rubie's Costume Company, the world's largest manufacturer of Halloween costumes and masquerade products, to develop and produce a line of Halloween costumes and accessories and dress up products inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. The new line will include Halloween costumes and accessories and dress up products for infants, toddlers, kids and adults, as well as pet costumes.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Costume Collection includes costumes and accessories and dress up products featuring: Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Splinter, April O'Neil, Shredder and The Foot Clan.

Mattel Reports Second Quarter 2013 Financial Results – Declares Third Quarter Dividend and Increases Share Repurchase Program

Second Quarter Highlights

• Worldwide net sales up 1%
• North American1 gross sales down 2% and International gross sales up 4%
• Worldwide gross sales by core brands: Barbie® down 12%; Hot Wheels® down 1%; Fisher-Price® down 3% and American Girl® up 14%
• Gross margin remained flat; SG&A increased 320 basis points of net sales including the impact of an asset impairment charge of 120 basis points
• Operating income of $94.8 million compared to $131.4 million in the second quarter of 2012
• Earnings per share of $0.21 vs. prior year earnings per share of $0.28

Capital Deployment

• Board declared 2013 third quarter cash dividend of $0.36 per share, reflecting an annualized dividend of $1.44 per share
• The Share Repurchase Program was increased by $500 million
• The Company repurchased 2.7 million shares of its common stock during the second quarter at a cost of approximately $119 million

The LEGO Group Expands Minecraft Collection
- Two additional models based on the popular virtual 3D world make their debut at Comic-Con International and will be on shelves this September -

SAN DIEGO, July 17, 2013 -- COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL -- Delighting LEGO® and Minecraft fans across the globe, The LEGO Group today announced it is extending its relationship with Swedish game developer Mojang to build on the blockbuster success of its first LEGO Minecraft building set to add two new models that will be released September 1, 2013.

LEGO Minecraft provides the opportunity to build, reconfigure and create new Minecraft micro-worlds in a physical LEGO way. The two new 3"x3"x3" models, The Village and The Nether, are on display for the first time at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Fans can also enjoy and take pictures with a large interactive 3D mosaic complete with Micromob character props at the LEGO booth (#2829).

July 16, 2013 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Mastermind Reformatted Feral Rex R-04 Leo Dux
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=MMC10013&mode=re...

Early Bird Discount! Order before September 1st, 2013 and save $15 off the MSRP of $124.99.

Feature: Combines with the other 4 FERAL CONS to form the awesome FERAL REX
Height: 8" (20.3cm) from feet to head

Feral Rex Gestalt is 32cm tall from feet to head excluding weapons

"Sold Out Doesn't Mean All Sold Out, Yet" Says Mezco Toyz

July 2013 - San Diego CA - As the countdown to world's most famous Comic-Con gets underway in San Diego, Mezco Toyz wants you to know that hope is not lost just because a Summer Exclusive is marked Sold Out on the Mezco Website.

"For the Summer Exclusives, we set aside a certain amount to be sold on MezcoToyz.com and a certain amount to be sold at our booth at San Diego. So if you see an item marked Sold Out on the website, that simply means we sold out the allotment for http://MezcoToyz.com, there will still be merchandise at the booth!" says Mezco's Vice President, Susan Sisco from booth 3445 at San Diego Comic Con.

"However," says Mezco's Special Project's Director, "these are all limited editions and I doubt if they will last long. Interest and demand for all our products are very high, but fans of the Creature From the Black Lagoon, and especially Breaking Bad are very, very enthusiastic!"

SUPER RARE POWER LORDS PRE-PRODUCTION FIGURES ON SALE AT SDCC & STORE HORSEMEN!!

July 2013 - We got some test shots of some of the upcoming Power Lords figures into the studio yesterday, and we're going to be putting these super rare items up for sale!

There are five different test shot characters to choose from and there are only six test shots of each character available! Three of each will be sold at SDCC and three of each will also be sold at Store Horsemen beginning Wednesday. This will be a first come, first served sale and only one of each style will be sold to individual customers to make sure one person doesn't horde them all.

The character variations and prices are as follows...

ADAM POWER: $90.00

LORD POWER: $90.00

POWER SOLDIER: $90.00

GGRIPPTOGG: $110.00

GGRAPPTIKK: $110.00

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF DIGITAL MANGA LIBRARY FOR KOBO.COM READERS IN NORTH AMERICA

More Than 500 Volumes Debut Today, With Library Of Over 1,500 Manga Volumes Across 130 Different Series Coming Soon To North America

San Francisco, CA, July 16, 2013 - VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, brings its massive digital manga (graphic novel) library to Kobo, a global leader in eReading. Starting today, Readers across Canada and the United States can access Viz Media's manga titles at Kobo's eBookstore and enjoy a seamless eReading experience with the company's E Ink eReaders, the award-winning Kobo Arc Android tablet, and top-ranking free apps for iOS, BB10 smartphones and Android devices.